Thread winding machine



1965 H. SMITH, JR., ETAL 3,156,263

THREAD WINDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 9, 1962 INV EN TORS swr n h R nw m M A LG d cf mm m THREAD WINDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed NOV. 9, 1962 United States Patent 3,166,263 THREAD WINDING MACHINEHorace L. Smith, J r., Richmond, and Edward G. Mueller,

This invention relates to thread winding machinesand, more specifically,to a collapsible arborfor thread winding machines.

Windingmachines of the type to which the present in- Vention relatesarehigh speed, precision built machines adapted to wind natural andsynthetic yarns on cops, cones, spools-and tubes at speeds on the orderof 50 to 150 yards per minute. Heretofore, the thread package supporting tube or other device has been mounted on a solid, generallywooden arbor fastened to the winding spindle of the thread windingmachine. Solidarbors have proved unsatisfactory, especially when windingpolypropylene, polyethylene, and similar polymeric synthetic fibers onpaper tubes, since these fibers. tend to ,compress the tube to such anextent that it is difiicult to remove from the arbor.

To obviate this problem, collapsible arbors have been developed. Sucharbors include one or more radially extensible tube supporting memberssuch as rubber ringsor garter springs each mounted on a pair ofrelatively movable supports. Moving the supports closer together expandsthe tube supporting members in gripping engagement against the innersurface of the thread package supporting tube. Moving the supports apartallows the tube supporting members to contract, permitting the tube andthe thread wound upon it to be readily dolled from the arbor. In theprior. art devices of this type, a compression spring is employed toforce the supports together and to expand the tube gripping members anda lever is utilized to overcome the bias of the compression spring andmove the supports apart and allow the expandable members to contract.

The prior' art devices have the disadvantage that, if

the lever is released by the operator, the compression spring willimmediately move the supports together and expand the tube-supportingmembers, even though the tube has not been completely dotted.Consequently, the

operator must keep one hand onthe lever whileremoving the tube so thatthe tube-supporting members will remain contracted. Dofling of thethread package therefore becomes, at best, a relatively complicated,cumbersome procedure. r

The novel collapsible arbor provided by thepresent invention, similartothe prior art devices, includes a pair of spaced apart garter springseach supported on two cooperating, relatively movable supportingmembers. The members in each pair are biased? together by a compressionspring. In contrast to the prior art devices, a novel cam and rollerrelease mechanism operated by a rotatable knob is provided to spread thesupport members ineach- The operator thus has both of his hands free todoff the package.

Objects of the present invention include;;; (l) The provision of animproved collapsible arbor; (2) The provision of a collapsiblearborwhich is compatible with existent thread winding machines. and-which,

may be readily incorporated in existent machines;

3,166,263 Patented Jan. 1.9, 1965- ICC (3), The provision of acollapsible arbor for thread winding machines which will free theoperators hands for dofling a thread package from the winding spindle;and

(4) The provision-of acollapsible arbor which is simple, rugged, andinexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Further objects and other novel features of the present invention willbecome fully apparent from the appended claims and as theensuingdetailed description and discussion proceeds in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of athread winding machine equipped witha collapsible arbor constructed in accordance with the principlesof thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section-through'the collapsiblearbor taken substantiallyalong line 22 of-FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a cam ernployedin the collapsible arbor.

Referring now to the drawing, in which exemplary structure is shown,FIGURE 1 illustrates a thread winding machine 10 equipped with the novelcollapsible arbor 12 provided by the present invention. Winding machine,10, which is disclosed in detail in'copending'application No. 138,166filed September 14, 1961, by August J. Hambach for Precision Winderincludes an electric motor (not shown) mounted on base plate14 andsurrounded by a housing 16 including removable fastened in place bytrunk latch 22.

The output shaft 24 of the electric motor (see FIGURE 2) 1 extendshorizontally from the interior of housing 16 through an aperture(notshown) in housing sidewall 26 and through a conical shield 28fastened to sidewall 26 by screws 29. r

Collapsible arbor 12, which is mounted on and fastened to motor outputshaft 24, supports a cylindrical paper. tube 30 on whichthread 32-iswoundto form a thread package 34. The winding machinemotor-simultaneously rotates tube 30 in the direction indicatedbythearrow in FIGURE 1 and, through a gear gainer and a cam assembly(not shown).operatively connected to the opposite end 10f themotoroutpiit shaft, reciprocates a tubular traverse rod 36 alongtube-30. Traverse rod-36 pivotally supports an arm 38 on which are fixeda guide 40 and a thread guide assembly 42 which guides thread package34.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, collapsible arbor 12 in-. cludes atube44mounted onwinding motor output shaft. 24. Oneendof tube 44is supportedby winding motor. outputshaft 24 and abuts an annular shoulder 46 formedon the shaft adjacentthe outer end'of conical .shield 28. The oppositeend of tube 44 is supported by the outboard end.48 of motoroutput shaft24. Tube 44 is rotatably,

thread 32-onto tube 30 to form fixedto winding motor output shaft 24 bya setscrew 50 which extends through a circular backing plate-s2; fixed:to the inner end of. tube 44:as;b'y weldingand throu'gh tube 44 intoafiat 54 cut in themotor output shaft;

The reduced diameter end portion 56 of the backing platesupports theinner endof paper tube 30which abuts an annular shoulder 58 provided byan increased diameter portion 60 of the backing plate. A triangularlysectioned, sharp edged blade 61 fixed to the periphery of backing plate52 prevents tube 30-lfrom rotating relative to the backing plate. Papertube 30is also supported by a pair of collapsible garter springs 62 and64- which surround tube 44 at; approximately its midpoint and adjacentits outer end. Garter springs62 and64.are circularly formed coilsprings. Garterv spring 62is.supported in concentric relation @toitube44 by a pair. of cooperatingspringsupporting discs. 66 and 68. Garterspring 64 is. similarly supported by a spring supporting disc 70 andibychar'nfered, hollow,cylindrical-sleeve 72.

stantially identical, each comprise a flat, annular, main panels 18 and20 body portion 74 and an annular flange '76 providing a with disc66'tosupport garter spring 62, is brazed to three elongated rods 80equiangularly spaced around the periphery of tube 44 (only one of whichis shown) which extend through appropriate apertures (not shown) rodsfrom being withdrawn through disc 84. The outer ends of rods 80 arefixed, as by welding, to sleeve 72.

Sleeve 72 has an outside diameter approximately equal tothe maximumdiameter of spring supporting discs 66, 68, and 70. An inclinedannularflange 88, formed at the inner end of sleeve 72, provides aconical supporting surface 90 for garter spring 64. At the inner edge offlange 88, an integral, annular, sleeve supporting flange 92 projectsinwardly to tube 44. Rods 80 extend through and are welded to sleevesupporting flange 92.

The function of the collapsible arbor structure thus far described is asfollows: cam sleeve 72 .rnay be moved to the right, drawing with it rods80 and spring supporting disc 68. This moves apart the coopenatingspring supporting surfaces 78 of discs 66 and 68 and the cooperatingspring supporting surfaces 78 of spring supporting discs 70 and 90 ofsleeve 72, allowing garter springs 62 and 64 tocontract. Tube 30- maythen be slid over the garter springs and the reduced diameter endportion 56 of backing plate 52 and butted against annular shoulder 58.Sleeve 72 is then-moved to the left, moving rods 80 and springsupporting disc '68 in the same direction. This moves the two pairs ofcooperating conical spring supporting surfaces closer togethenforcinggarter springs 62 and 64 outwardly against the internal surface 94 oftube 30 to retain it on the arbor. After the winding of thread package34 is completed, sleeve 72 is again moved to the right collapsing thegarter springs and allowing the thread package to be readily doffed eventhough paper tube 30 has been substantially compressed by the threadwound upon it.

Rods 80, spring supporting disc 68, and spring supporting sleeve 72 arebiased to the left to maintain garter springs 62 and 64 in theirexpanded, tube supporting configuration by a coil compression spring 96which surrounds tube 44 and extends between the main body portion 74 ofspring supporting disc 66 and disc 84, To

move rods .80, spring supporting disc 68, and sleeve 72 to the right tocollapse garter springs 62 and 64 and permit the removal of thecompleted thread package, a cam assembly indicated generally byreference character 98 is provided. 7

Cam assembly 98 includes an actuator shaft 100. Shaft means such as adowel pin fixed to actuator shaft 100 or the reduced diameter endportion 101 of shaft 100 is rotatably mounted in a blind bore 102drilled in the outer end of winding motor output shaft 24. Fixed to theouter end of actuator shaft 100 is a knurled operating knob 104. Aconventional thrust bearing 106,

surrounding actuator shaft 100 and extending between the outer end oftube 44 and the inner end of actuator shaftv 100insures that operatingknob 104 can be rotated relativeto tube 44 without binding. Actuatorshaft 100 supports a pair of cam rollers 109 and 110 rotatably mountedon opposite sides of the shaft by a pin 112 which extends through bores114 and'116 in the rollers and-through a transversely extending aperture118 in the actuator'shaft.

Cam rollers 109 and 110 cooperate with an annular cam 122 whichsurrounds actuator shaft 100. Cam 122 is supported by sleeve 72 whichextends over a reduced diameter portion 123 of the cam forming anannular, sleeve receiving recess '124 and is rigidly fixed to the cam asby brazing. Cam surface 120 is divided into two equalarea portions soarranged that cam rollers 109 and 110 follow identical paths when knob104 is rotated and therefore exert a force on cam 122 which issymmetrical relative to the longitudinal centerline of winding motoroutput shaft 24. Each cam surface portion slopes upwardly from a lowpoint or dwell 126 to a high point or rise 128. Each rise 128 and theadjacent dwell 126 are connected by a shoulder 130 extendingsubstantially normal to cam surface 120. When knob-104 is rotated in thedirection indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 2, rollers 109 and 110 rideup the sloping cam surface portions from dwells 126 to rises 128. Sincerollers 109 and 110 are prevented from moving toward winding motoroutput shaft 24 by thrust bearing 106 and the outer end of tube 44, cam122 is forced to the right, pulling sleeve 72, rod 80, and cam disc 68to the right against the bias of spring 96. I

As was explained above, this movement of cam disc 68, rod 80, and sleeve72 permits garter springs 62 and 64 to contract, allowing the operatorto doif the completed thread package 34 and insert a new tube 30.

Arcuate depressions 132, formed in cam surface 120 at rises 128, retainrollers 109 and 110 on rises 128 until knob 104 is rotated by theoperator. Garter springs 62 and 64 therefore remain collapsed until knob104 is again rotated, freeing both of the operators hands for removal ofthe completed thread package and insertion of a new tube. After the newtube is in place, kn0b104 is again rotated in the direction of thearrow, allowing rollers 109 and 110 to ride ofi' rises 128 and drop overshoulders 130 onto dwells 126; Compression spring 96 then moves rods 80,spring supporting disc '68, and cam housing 72 to the left, expandinggarter springs 62 and 64 outwardly against inner wall surface 94 of tube30 to secure the new tube 30 in place. i l

The invention maybe embodied in other specific forms Without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

(e) means having a cooperating cam and roller spaced outboard of bothpackage retaining members for simultaneously reducing the effectivediameters of said first and second supporting means to and maintainingthem at a minimum and including means solely in said collapsible arborfor locking said first and second retaining member supporting means withtheir effective diameters at a minimum to maintain the first-and secondpackage retaining members collapsed.

2. A collapsible arbor for thread winding machines, comprising:

. (a) a winding spindle receiving sleeve; (b) means for detachablyfixing, said sleeve to a Winding'spindle receivedtherein'; r (c) a pairof spaced apart garter. springssurrounding said sleeve;

(d) a pair of supporting members providing two annular, inclined, facingsupporting surfaces spacing .each of said springs from said sleeve;

(e) means fixing one of each pair. of supporting members to said sleeve;i

(i) an operating member;

(g) means fixingthe other of each pairof supporting members to saidoperating member;

(h) means operatively engaging saidoperating member and biasing themembers in each pair of supporting members toward each other to expandsaid garter springs; and

(1') release means fixed to one end of said operating member fol-"movingthe members'in each pair of supportingmembers apart against theinfluence of said biasing means. to collapse'said garter springs and forretaining said garter springsin saidcollapsed configuration, saidrelease means including means solely in said collapsible arbor forlocking said supporting members apart to maintain said garter springscollapsed.

3. The collapsible arbor as defined in claim 2, including an annularbacking plate fixed to said sleeve in longitudinally spaced relationshipto said garter ring supporting members, said bcaking plate including acylindrical tubesupporting portion and an annular flange for locating atube longitudinally of said sleeve.

4. A collapsible arbor for thread winding machines, comprising:

(a) a winding spindle receiving sleeve;

(b) means for detachably fixing said sleeve to a winding spindlereceived therein;

(c) a pair of spaced apart garter springs surrounding said sleeve;

(d) a pair of supporting members providing two annular, inclined, facingsupporting surfaces spacing each of said springs from said sleeve;

(2) means fixing one of each pair of supporting members to said sleeve;

(f) an operating member;

(g) means fixing the other of each pair of supporting members to saidoperating member;

(h) means operatively engaging said operating member and biasing themembers in each pair of supporting members toward each other to expandsaid garter springs;

(i) release means fixed to one end of said operating member for movingthe members in each pair of supporting members apart against theinfluence of said biasing means to collapse said garter springs and forretaining said garter springs in said collapsed configuration;

(j) one of said spring supporting members comprising an enlargeddiameter sleeve having an annular flange at one end thereof surroundingsaid spindle receiving sleeve, said sleeve being slidable on saidspindle receiving sleeve; and said release means including:

(k) shaft means fixed longitudinally of and rotatable relative to saidspindle receiving sleeve;

(l) a rotatable operating member fixed to and axially aligned with saidshaft means;

(m) a circular cam providing an annular cam face slidably mounted on ashaft portion of said rotatable operating member and supporting the endof said enlarged diameter sleeve opposite said flange;

(n) a pin extending transversely through the operating member shaftportion; and

(0) cam rollers journalled on the end portions of said pin andcooperating with said cam to move said enlarged. diameter sleevelongitudinally of said spindle receiving sleeve. l 5. The collapsiblearbor as defined in claim 4, including a thrust bearing journalled onsaid shaft means and extending between said spindle receiving sleeveand. said operating member shaft portion.

v6. A collapsible arbor forzthread inding machines comprising:

(c) a pair of spaced apart garter springs surrounding i 'said sleeve;

- (d) apair. of supporting members providing two annular,.inclined,ffacing supporting surfaces spacing each of said springs fromsaid sleeve;

- (e) means fixing .one of each pair of supporting members to saidsleeve;

(1) an operating member; T

(g) means fixing the other of each pair. of supporting members to. saidoperating member;

(It) means operatively engagingsaid operating member and biasing themembers in each pair of supporting members toward each otherto expandsaid garter springs including:

(i) a spring retaining member slidably mounted on said sleeve;

(j) a stop member between the end of said operating member and saidretaining member and operatively connecting said operating and springretaining members; and

(k) release means fixed to one end of said operating member for movingthe members in each pair of supporting members apart against theinfluence of said biasing means to collapse said garter springs and forretaining said garter springs in said collapsed configuration.

7. A collapsible arbor for thread winding and like machines, comprising:

(a) a winding spindle receiving sleeve;

(b) means for detachably fixing said sleeve to a winding spindlereceived therein;

(0) a pair of spaced apart expansible thread package supportssurrounding said sleeve;

(d) a pair of supporting members providing two annular, inclined, facingsupporting surfaces spacing each of said thread package supports fromsaid sleeve;

(e) means fixing one of each pair of supporting members to said sleeve;

(1) an operating member;

(g) means fixing the other of each pair of supporting members to saidoperating member;

(h) means operatively engaging said operating memher and biasing themembers in each pair of supporting members toward each other to expandsaid thread package supports including:

(i) a package support retaining member slidably mounted on said sleeve;

(j) a stop member between the end of said operating member and saidretaining member and operatively connecting said operating and packagesupport retaining members; and

(k) release means fixed to one end of said operating member for movingthe members in each pair of supporting members apart against theinfluence of said biasing means to collapse said package supports andfor retaining said package supports in said collapsed configuration.

8. A collapsible arbor for thread winding machines,

comprising:

(a) a winding spindle receiving sleeve;

(b) means for detachably fixing said sleeve to a winding spindlereceived therein;

(0) a pair of spaced apart expansible thread package supportssurrounding said sleeve;

(d) a pair of supporting members providing two annular, inclined, facingsupporting surfaces spacing each of said package supports'from saidsleeve;

(e) means fixing one of eachtpair of supporting mem bersto saidsleeve; it

(f) an" operating member;

(g) means fixingthe other of each pair of supporting members to saidoperating member; (h) means operatively engaging said operating memberand biasing the members in each pair of supporting members toward eachother to expand said package supports;

(i) release means fixed toone end of .said operating member for movingthe members in each pair of supporting members apartagainst theinfluence of said biasingmean-sto collapse said package supports and forretaining said package supports in said, collapsed configuration; 1

(j) one of said package support supporting members comprising anenlarged diameter sleeve having an annular flange at one end thereofsurrounding said spindle receiving. sleeve, said sleeve being slidableon said spindle receiving sleeve; and said release means including:

, (k1) shaft means fixedlongitudinally of androtatable relative. to saidspindle receiving sleeve; *1 I (l) a rotatable operating memberfixed;toi and axially aligned with said shaft means;

(m) a circular cam providing 'an'annular cam face -slidablymounted on ashaft portion of said rotatable References Cited in the file ofthispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,042,968 Siegenthaler 'i, June 2, 19362,747,809 Selby e ee a 29, 1956 noanioN PATENTS 7 882,218 Germany July6, 1953

1. A COLLAPSIBLE ARBOR FOR THREAD WINDING MACHINES, COMPRISING: (A)FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT, RADIALLY EXPANDABLE, SPACED APART PACKAGERETAINING MEMBERS; (B) FIRST AND SECOND RETAINING MEMBER SUPPORTINGMEANS; (C) MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY VARYING TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAMEDEGREE TO EFFECTIVE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RETAINING MEMBERSUPPORTING MEANS; (D) MEANS NORMALLY MAINTAINING THE EFFECTIVE DIAMETERSOF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS AT A MAXIMUM; AND (E) MEANSHAVING A COOPERATING CAM AND ROLLER SPACED OUTBOARD OF BOTH PACKAGERETAINING MEMBERS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY REDUCING THE EFFECTIVE DIAMETERS OFSAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS TO AND MAINTAINING THEM AT AMINIMUM AND INCLUDING MEANS SOLELY IN SAID COLLAPSIBLE ARBOR FOR LOCKINGSAID FIRST AND SECOND RETAINING MEMBER SUPPORTING MEANS WITH THEIREFFECTIVE DIAMETERS AT A MINIMUM TO MAINTAIN THE FIRST AND SECONDPACKAGE RETAINING MEMBERS COLLAPSED.